Posted by long time exer on July 12, 2011 at 12:26:37
In Reply to: Re: Thank you for reading me "properly"... posted by Farmer on July 11, 2011 at 18:41:46:
As subject line indicates, I did not start out as a Christian. The conversion I had to Christianity was at a young age (teen) and just prior to joining COG.
Not sure what you see as not being fair about a prior statement that some people (in the world, not necessarily here- I don't know) assume that atheists/agnostics are incapable of having good characteristics that some believe only come from God. As far as viciousness goes, that is a trait that any extremist can have. That to me is any one so scared of religious ideology or lack of religious ideology that they don't feel they can communicate or relate to another person because of their religion or lack of religion according to their personal view. I see this happening with step family right now. A family close to me is breaking up due to a religious conversion (Christian--Calvary Chapel to Christian "Reformed" doctrine) because of the strictures of the religion now engaged in. This is totally fear based. But it is destroying the family and young children are involved. Extremism, imo, is destructive and tears people apart.
In the Family, there was, in early COG, this emphasis in not being part of the world, being exclusive and apart from. That is what extremists do. They block off relationships, friendships, understanding, empathy, connections with those who do not believe as they do.